Frequently Asked Questions

Are you the right massage therapist for me?That’s a definite “maybe”! My specialty is deep tissue massage geared towards overuse injury prevention and/or chronic pain management. I tend to use medium to firm pressure, and I usually work with clients who want to walk away with some improvement in condition or symptoms. I do try to provide a peaceful environment, but if your main goal is relaxation with light to medium pressure, I recommend a massage studio or spa that specializes in Swedish/relaxation massage.

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Do you sell monthly memberships? Nope. Come as often or as infrequently as you like, and I will charge you a reasonable and fair price every time. My goal is to give you a great massage that makes you want to come back regularly, not to punish you with higher prices if you can't. If you want help making massage a regular part of your schedule, I am also happy to set up a recurring appointment time for you at whatever interval works best. I trust my clients to know their bodies' needs and their scheduling realities better than I can.

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Does massage therapy provide any genuine health benefits?Yes! Targeted deep tissue massage can help restore normal tone to muscles locked in a new or chronic imbalance, encourage healthy scar tissue formation, and facilitate healthy circulatory processes. Therefore, massage is an excellent treatment adjunct for conditions that originate with soft tissue dysfunction, such as IT band syndrome, piriformis syndrome, and thoracic outlet syndrome. More importantly, massage can help you avoid injury in the first place: if you engage in any repetitive activity that may involve imperfect posture–from running a marathon to using a mouse–regular massage can prevent the unevenness from turning into a problem by re-balancing muscle tension before it leads to an overuse pathology.

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What are the limits of massage?Muscles rarely develop chronic patterns of tension all by themselves. Rather, these patterns result from an underlying pathology, such as an injury or a poor postural habit. Massage can relieve the tension and give your body a chance to relearn a normal balance, but it cannot reverse the underlying injury or correct the posture. In other words, massage treats the symptoms, but not the cause, of your condition. Therefore, massage makes an excellent adjunct to physical therapy or posture re-training (e.g., working with a running coach to balance your stride), but it is not in itself a cure.

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I’ve never had a massage before. What can I expect?You can expect that your comfort is paramount to me, and that I will preserve your modesty at all times. You will remain securely draped throughout your massage (covered completely with a sheet and blanket, except for the area I am working on). Also rest assured that a massage isn’t the same as a haircut-–though some clients enjoy chatting during a massage, most prefer to stay quiet and enjoy the “me time” (and staying quiet does in fact make it easier to get certain muscles to relax). Although I always do my best to check in regularly as to comfort and pressure preferences, I encourage you to speak up at any time I can be doing something better (more pressure, less pressure, etc.) It is your massage; please help me make it both effective and enjoyable for you!

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The best Therap[eutic] Massage in Arizona! The trainer at my gym had clients going to see Allison with amazing results. She suggested that I try going to see her and it’s been the best experience I have ever had with a massage therapist. I have already scheduled her again for next week…